Speculative Fiction book reviews by Spike Gelato

Review: A Green and Ancient Light

Summary: In an idyllic village, surrounded by sea and forest, a young boy and his grandmother embark on a magical adventure.

Review: A Green and Ancient Light is a beautifully told story of love, family, the beauty of nature, and the innocence of youth. Equal parts Pan’s Labyrinth, The Secret Garden, and The Chronicles of Narnia, it’s a fantasy tale that could be appreciated by readers of any age.

The story was scrubbed of any identifiers (no village name, no country name, no character names), but the rich setting detail provided everything you could need. Frederic S. Durbin creates a setting filled with such beautiful imagery that opening the book felt like being transported to the nameless countryside each and every time. He writes a simple, yet profound story that I enjoyed immensely.